


Four Times Will Byers Keeps A Secret, And One Time He Doesn’t

by stanleave



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: (Like always), But he keeps doing it anyway, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mike wants to help, Period-Typical Homophobia (implied), Pining, Pining!Will, Post-Season 2, Will doesn’t want to keep secrets anymore, Will is Tired
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-04 08:12:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12766782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stanleave/pseuds/stanleave
Summary: A lot of things were starting to feel one sided in Will Byers’ life and he didn’t know how to feel about it.





	1. Chapter 1

A shiver ran through his veins as Will Byers made his way home through the icy snow. The frozen substance no longer was the soft material it had been the first day it covered the ground. Now, it was hard and uncomfortable, no longer fun to mess around in, it was a shame, but expected since this happened every time it would snow. 

It was mid January, the past year beginning to fade away in everyone’s mind as a distant memory when people started to ponder the year ahead. This came as a possibility to Will as he wanted a chance to ‘start over’ in a sense. After everything that happened only a few months ago, the opportunity for Will to just hit a ‘reset’ button is daunting- for obvious reasons. 

Though, even though he so desperately wished it were, nothing was the same; nothing ever would be the same ever again, and to Will, that was terrifying. It’s an exhausting thought that Will wished he could push back, but he never seemed to be able to achieve that, it was like a dark cloud lingering over his head. 

With that said, it was almost ironic how Will’s friends, Mike especially, attempted to pretend like everything was normal. It was so blatantly obvious. D&D campaigns would carry on every Saturday, dragging out for hours at the Wheeler household. They’d all try to enjoy themselves, but things always were off, like what they were doing wasn’t natural at all anymore, just a forced attempt to brainwash their own minds into the mindset they relied on so deeply a couple of years ago. One where it was okay to feel like a kid, when it was acceptable to smile freely. 

Will never understood why they tried so desperately. 

Some things, luckily, would never change, Will would still draw anything and everything, Mike and Will would still hang out with each other alone after Dustin and Lucas left occasionally, and Will would still be haunted by being helplessly in love with his best friend. 

Their ‘crazy together’ sometimes felt more one sided at times. 

 

Will kicked a piece of ice that had been molded together from the snow, letting his mind wander to Mike’s facial features as they often did. 

A lot of things were starting to feel one sided in Will Byers’ life and he didn’t know how to feel about it. 

Will approached his vacant house, it being one of the few times he would be alone while Jonathan and his mom were at work. He headed straight for his room, immediately pulling out his sketchbook and pencil. 

Imagining Mike came like a sixth sense as Will drew out lines and went over them again and again, striving for a perfect product. He tried to portray as much detail and precision in his work, like always. Will knew very well that when the drawing was finished, it would be stashed away with the many others in a folder that he stuffed at the bottom of a drawer, hidden from everyone and everything except for himself. A dirty little secret that no one could ever know about. The drawings held so much vulnerability, like Will was putting himself in the line. if anyone ever found them, what would they think? Would they be disgusted? That may sound like an exaggeration, because at the end of the day ‘aren’t they are just drawings’, but no, those drawings were only of Mike, and there were a lot. Why would someone hide them if they didn’t hold a big secret?

Will crumpled up the paper in spur of the moment rage, throwing it across his room with no thought of where it would end up. He was tired- exhausted of keeping secrets. It was a never ending cycle, but there was no way Will could tell anyone; tell anyone that he was exactly what his father and Troy jeered him about. 

Will hated it. Why couldn’t he just like girls like the way Lucas liked Max- the way Mike liked Eleven. 

Why couldn’t Will Byers catch a break, for once. 

Will laid back on his bed, listening to it creak as he adjusted himself, he could feel his eyes burning; threatening to spill with tears. Instead of allowing that, Will shut his eyes and attempted to clear his mind enough to drift off into a sleep, one where, hopefully, he wouldn’t be ridden with secrets.


	2. Chapter 2

Overnight, a fresh batch of snowflakes came to rain down on Hawkins, renewing what was beginning to melt, and restoring the light, playful texture. Now, as Will trudged through, trying to get to school, the snow that hadn't stopped coming down was obscuring his vision, almost making him regret neglecting his mother's offer to drive him. 

Joyce had lifted the rule that Will was to be driven and picked up everywhere since the incidents last year. She felt as though her son deserved his freedom after everything, but that didn't mean that she had since stopped worrying. Like this morning for example, Will would barely speak a word and as he headed out the door, Joyce couldn't help but wonder what was bothering her usually cheerful son.

The two of them had a cautious bond ever since everything that happened with the Mind Flayer. Will couldn't help but blame himself for what happened to Bob; therefore also thinking Joyce blamed him as well no matter how many times she reassured him. It was complicated- that was how Will described it anytime a worried Mike would ask about it.

Now, back to this treacherous snow. Will usually cherished these days, taking his time on his way to school in order to play around. Today however, Will had a present frown and playing in the snow was the last thing on his mind. His miniscule breakdown last night still haunted him, and though he really was just be dramatic, it put him in a bad mood. To be honest, Will didn't have a clue as to what was bothering him so much- it's just a lot of things. Change, Mike, and so on in this endless list that could be published as a 758 page book and counting, titled "Will Byers' Petty Problems", because yeah, they were petty. It wasn't the end of the world that the people around him were changing, and it certainly wasn't life-threatening that Will was so desperately in love with his best friend from kindergarten, and that certain best friend was a boy.

On second thought, maybe it was life-threatening. Or at least, it would be if someone found out, like Troy, or his dad. Yes, that certainly was life-threatening.

A shiver ran through his spine thinking about what would happen if his dad or Troy found out about Will's stupid crush, or maybe it was just because of the bitter below-freezing temperature, though it probably was the terrifying former. Maybe a mix of both.

As Hawkins Middle School came into view, Will quickened his pace. Hurrying at the aspect of escaping the egregious January weather that even his winter coat could not shield him from the harsh winds and unforgiving temperature.

Will had almost reached the entrance unnoticed by anyone, until loud, unfiltered voices flooded to the right of him and he knew he had ultimately failed. Will currently wasn’t in any necessary mood to talk to his friends at this point in time, no he wasn’t mad at them or anything, it just was daunting and he didn’t want to converse with anyone in general. It wasn’t personal. Nothing for them to worry about when they inevitably came to the conclusion that Will was acting strange (but of course they would worry, it was unavoidable, no use in protesting).

Maybe ‘overprotective friends’ was something Will should add to “Will Byers’ Petty Problems”. 

“Will! Did you walk to school all by yourself?” Mike questioned immediately as he, Dustin and Lucas approached Will, and oh god he best friend was beginning to sound like his mom. 

It honestly crossed Will’s mind to just continue walking into the school, it wasn’t such a bad idea- he’d be able to escape this interaction and the cold, but alas he turned to his friends and forced a tight smile, “Yeah, uh- my mom had to go to work early and I didn’t want to be a bother to her and Jonathan so I decided to just head out, it’s no big deal.” It kind of frightened Will how easily he was able to come up with a lie, but it wasn’t such a stretch from the truth- it really wasn’t such a big deal. 

Mike looked as though he would’ve wanted to say something else, maybe a further scolding (honestly, maybe Steve was starting to rub off of him more than Dustin), but Lucas spoke up before him, “Whatever, like Will said, it’s no big deal we all basically did the same.”

“Yeah and can we get inside? I’m literally freezing to death,” Dustin didn’t wait for any sort of response as he bolted towards the school entrance, the other three following close behind with no further objections. 

That blew over a lot quicker than Will expected, but he could feel Mike’s troubled gaze burning into him. 

Once inside, Will breathed in deeply, grateful for the warm air that flooded him. He departed from his friends after a quick ‘bye’ and promise to see them later, but only a few seconds later a hand on his shoulder caused him to turn around. 

“Will, is everything okay?” Mike asked softly, looking down at his friend with concern shining in his eyes. “Did something happen? You’re just, quiet- and with everything that went on after Halloween- I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

Well what’s Will supposed to do at this point? Ramble on about how he has a secret stash of drawings of Mike and he’s tired of them being a secret but he knew that if he’d tell anyone they’d just laugh in his face? Whine about how even though it was a new year everything that has occurred in the past two years still linger on in his mind and cast a shadow over his entire view? Definitely not, Mike would be convinced that his friend had gone mad- though maybe it wasn’t such an unreasonable explanation. 

“Yeah, no worries Mike. I just had a rough time sleeping last night since it was really cold in my house. That’s all.” With that, Will offered a small smile and turned back, heading towards his locker, leaving Mike on his own.


End file.
